aftermarket water pump problem?
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 531
Likes: 8
From: Bakersfield, CA
aftermarket water pump problem?
I bought a rebuilt '85 302. Originally serpentine belt system and fuel injected. The builder converted it to carb. I am going away from the serpentine set up in part because the serpentine system is missing. I bought an old school V belt system from CVF Racing that required the lower outlet from the water pump to the radiator to be on the driver side. I bought that pump from STEWART COMPONENTS. During mock up I noticed that the STEWART COMPONENTS water pump has 7 bolt locations while the original pump had nine. The gasket they supplied has nine holes...curious. The missing bolt holes are near the inlet and outlet of the pump. I saved the bolts from the old pump. They only protrude from the pump about 1/2" and don't appear to go into any water jackets. Looks like they are there just to assure a good seal around the inlet and outlet. STEWART COMPONENTS could offer no assistance saying that Ford did a lot of weird things. Any thoughts?
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 298
Likes: 1
From: Huntsville, Al
If your going to do away with the serpentine belt system, you'll have to change the timing cover to match the water pump being used. A serpentine belt system uses a reverse flow water pump.
Windsor SBF Timing Covers
Windsor SBF Timing Covers
Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 5,510
Likes: 27
From: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Ford also has normal rotation, and reverse rotation water pumps. You can normally tell by the water pump pulley on the serp. belt systems. A ribbed pulley is normal rotation, and a smooth pulley is reverse rotation. If you are missing the pulley, then go to Rock Auto's website and look up the water pump you need, and they will have a little note on how to tell which pump you have. Good luck.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
This can be one of the bigger headaches of rodding a SBF using 60s-80s stuff. You get something that will bolt up and the belts are off by half a width. I tried to pulley and bracket my 80s engine and ended up with a couple five gallon buckets of stuff that wouldn't line up correctly. WP, timing cover, harmonic balancer, brackets and all pulleys have to be correctly matched. Too many of the parts changed from one year to the next. I finally solved it by pulling the entire front end off a late 70's serpentine engine. There are literally well over a dozen different SBF waterpumps.
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 531
Likes: 8
From: Bakersfield, CA
This can be one of the bigger headaches of rodding a SBF using 60s-80s stuff. You get something that will bolt up and the belts are off by half a width. I tried to pulley and bracket my 80s engine and ended up with a couple five gallon buckets of stuff that wouldn't line up correctly. WP, timing cover, harmonic balancer, brackets and all pulleys have to be correctly matched. Too many of the parts changed from one year to the next. I finally solved it by pulling the entire front end off a late 80s serpentine engine. There are literally well over a dozen different SBF water pumps.
Trending Topics
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
If you can find a real parts store locally they should have an application guide that pictures the waterpumps they have or can order.
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
3 Best / Worst Features Of The 2025+ Ford Expedition
Brett Foote
10 Ways Ford is LOSING to the Competition
Joe Kucinski
Top 6 Best Deals Available on New Fords & Lincolns Right Now
Brett Foote
This Hennessey Takes the Expedition Tremor's Off-Roading Capability to the Next Level
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Fords at 2026 Carlisle Ford Nationals
Joe Kucinski
3 Best / 3 Worst Parts of Modern Ford Ownership
Brett Foote
10 Amazing Upgrades That Solve Common Ford Truck Owner Headaches
Pouria Savadkouei
Every 2026 Ford Engine Explained
Brett Foote
10 Ugly Ford Trucks That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Believe Nothing
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 7,519
Likes: 403
From: W. Central FL.
This can be one of the bigger headaches of rodding a SBF using 60s-80s stuff. You get something that will bolt up and the belts are off by half a width. I tried to pulley and bracket my 80s engine and ended up with a couple five gallon buckets of stuff that wouldn't line up correctly. WP, timing cover, harmonic balancer, brackets and all pulleys have to be correctly matched. Too many of the parts changed from one year to the next. I finally solved it by pulling the entire front end off a late 80s serpentine engine. There are literally well over a dozen different SBF waterpumps.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
Yup, it took the Stang 5.0 revolution before they figured out how to encourage rodding and sell aftermarket parts. They finally stopped changing things for no good reason. About 30 years of shenanigans preceded that.
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 6,682
Likes: 12
From: Saskatoon SK Canada
The normal standard rotation water pumps used 7 bolts and the heavy duty versions used 9 bolts. They are both interchangeable.
The only true reverse rotation timing covers were used on the 1987-97 F-series, 1991-93 Thunderbird/Cougar, 1994-95 Mustang and 1996-2001 Explorers.
The 1979-93 Mustangs used the standard timing cover with a reverse pump. The factory pumps used a open chamber around the propeller for it to work. The aftermarket pumps use a true reverse rotation design but changed the water pump backing plate to use two small inlet/outlet holes vs the full rounded rectangle opening on the timing cover.
The only true reverse rotation timing covers were used on the 1987-97 F-series, 1991-93 Thunderbird/Cougar, 1994-95 Mustang and 1996-2001 Explorers.
The 1979-93 Mustangs used the standard timing cover with a reverse pump. The factory pumps used a open chamber around the propeller for it to work. The aftermarket pumps use a true reverse rotation design but changed the water pump backing plate to use two small inlet/outlet holes vs the full rounded rectangle opening on the timing cover.
Thread Starter
|
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 531
Likes: 8
From: Bakersfield, CA
The normal standard rotation water pumps used 7 bolts and the heavy duty versions used 9 bolts. They are both interchangeable.
The only true reverse rotation timing covers were used on the 1987-97 F-series, 1991-93 Thunderbird/Cougar, 1994-95 Mustang and 1996-2001 Explorers.
The 1979-93 Mustangs used the standard timing cover with a reverse pump. The factory pumps used a open chamber around the propeller for it to work. The aftermarket pumps use a true reverse rotation design but changed the water pump backing plate to use two small inlet/outlet holes vs the full rounded rectangle opening on the timing cover.
The only true reverse rotation timing covers were used on the 1987-97 F-series, 1991-93 Thunderbird/Cougar, 1994-95 Mustang and 1996-2001 Explorers.
The 1979-93 Mustangs used the standard timing cover with a reverse pump. The factory pumps used a open chamber around the propeller for it to work. The aftermarket pumps use a true reverse rotation design but changed the water pump backing plate to use two small inlet/outlet holes vs the full rounded rectangle opening on the timing cover.
Post Fiend
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 6,328
Likes: 124
From: Iowa
Good info Nathan. That pretty much solves the possibility of installing the wrong pump.